e-diplomacy

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean: In our last information and communications technology (ICT) strategy published in 2000 we set ourselves the goal of transforming the FCO from a headquarters with outstations to a single global online organisation. We have come a long way towards achieving that goal. The FCO telecommunications network (FTN) together with our desktop system (Firecrest) provides a dedicated global network that connects our UK offices with over 200 overseas posts and to the rest of Whitehall. On it we send over 1 million e-mails and download gigabytes of data every day, and run a number of applications including Genie (for issuing passports).
	Following publication of the FCO strategy in December last year, we have reviewed what we need from our ICT to enable the more flexible FCO envisaged in that strategy. E-diplomacy explains how we will introduce greater flexibility to our ICT infrastructure and enable more flexible use of information. This includes more use of mobile and remote-working technology and new applications to make information more accessible, while keeping it secure. We will continue to improve our project management skills and develop closer working partnerships with the private sector to ensure that we provide the most cost-effective service to FCO users. We will also work with other government departments to achieve efficiency savings wherever possible.
	The plans we have set out in e-diplomacy are challenging but achievable. We believe that they are crucial to the overall effectiveness of the FCO.
	Copies of e-diplomacy have been placed in the Library of the House. It is also available on the FCO's web-site www.fco.gov.uk.

Dental Charges

Lord Warner: My honourable friend the Minister of State (Ms Rosie Winterton) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement today.
	The Written Ministerial Statement of 12 February 2004 covering National Health Service charges in England informed the House that we planned to raise the maximum patient charge for a course of dental treatment from £372 to £378 from 1 April 2004.
	In order to minimise changes and to avoid any confusion for patients, dentists and their practice staff, we are deferring the increase in the maximum charge for a course of dental treatment from 1 April to 1 May 2004 so as to coincide with the implementation of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body recommendation for dentists fees. The fees will be backdated to 1 April 2004 but the new charges will be effective from 1 May 2004 and there will be no retrospective increases to charges already paid by patients.
	The Chief Dental Officer will be writing to all dentists advising them of the 1 May 2004 implementation date for the statement of dental remuneration and the increase in the maximum charge for a course of dental treatment.

Public Audit (Wales) Bill: Clause 54

Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: Clause 54 was included in the Public Audit (Wales) Bill to ensure consistency in the criminal law across England and Wales. The Government have brought forward an amendment to Clause 54 to make clear the link with the present legislation that currently applies across England and Wales—Section 49 of the Audit Commission Act 1998. It also ensures that any relaxation of the restrictions in the Audit Commission Act can be applied at the same time in England and Wales, following consultation with the National Assembly for Wales of course.
	The Government acknowledge the concerns that have been raised about this clause. Indeed, Section 49 of the Audit Commission Act is already being considered as part of a much wider review of statutory restrictions on disclosure that the Government are undertaking. This is the Department for Constitutional Affairs' review into existing statutory prohibitions on disclosure. Such restrictions can be removed by order under Section 75 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in the case of Acts passed before or in the same Session as that Act. The DCA's Second Report to Parliament on the Review of Legislation Governing the Disclosure of Information published in November 2002 is available at http://www.dca.gov.uk/foi/foidoirpt2.htm. Section 49 of the Audit Commission Act is specifically referred to in Part 11 of that report, "Listing by Lead Department", under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister heading.
	Following preliminary consideration and consultation, the Government's preferred treatment for Section 49 is to amend it so that it is consistent with the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act, which has an overall presumption in favour of disclosure. The Department for Constitutional Affairs currently plans to publish a final report on its review in the autumn. The Department for Constitutional Affairs is also intending to bring forward the first order to be made under the freedom of information legislation later this year, and the Government will include the proposed amendment to Section 49 in that order. When Section 49 is amended, the Government amendment to Clause 54 will allow the relaxation of the restriction on disclosure to apply also in Wales. The Government are therefore following the proper process to address this issue, and are already well advanced in doing this.

IMF and UK

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	I am today publishing the fifth annual report to Parliament on UK operations at the IMF, Growth For All—Towards a Stable and Fairer World: the UK and the IMF 2003. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

Defence Estate Stewardship Report

Lord Bach: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ivor Caplin) has made the following Written Mnisterial Statement.
	The 2003 Defence Estate Stewardship Report is published today. This report outlines the continuing progress that the Ministry of Defence is making in implementing the estate strategy that was launched in 2000.
	The Ministry of Defence is continually examining ways of improving military capability and value for money for the taxpayer. As part of this approach, we want to keep the size and location of our bases under review. Building on initial work that has been done to identify the MoD's core sites, the department is now undertaking further work to examine where estate rationalisation may be possible. This work is consistent with the department's contribution to the Government's independent review of public sector rationalisation—the Lyons review.
	The work now under way is looking at consolidating defence activity at a smaller number of more densely utilised locations in order to achieve the optimum use of land and facilities. This ongoing review will necessarily involve the examination of a number of proposals for the potential collocation and relocation of units. It will also take into account existing relocation studies that have already been announced. It is important to recognise that any options that are considered will need to meet operational requirements as well as representing value for money.
	The department is currently at an early stage of this wider review and each proposal that emerges from this work will be subject to full consultation in the normal way. This consultation is essential to determine whether the options under consideration are viable in the widest sense, for instance, in relation to transport, education, health and the future use of potential surplus MoD sites.
	No decisions have yet been reached on any site but as this matter progresses I will ensure that right honourable and honourable Members are advised of progress where such an issue may affect their constituency.
	A copy of the report is in the Library of the House.

Kosovo: Deployment of British Forces

Lord Bach: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Geoffrey Hoon) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	Last week saw a deterioration of the security situation in Kosovo. Violence broke out between ethnic Serbs and Albanians in Mitrovica in northern Kosovo, which subsequently spread to other ethnic Serb populated areas in Kosovo. The violence has resulted in deaths within both communities, as well as hundreds injured, including some KFOR troops. The situation in Kosovo, although still tense, now appears calmer.
	The troops already in Kosovo were heavily committed in dealing with the situation. Commander KFOR therefore took the decision to authorise the deployment of his in-theatre tactical reserves to assist with the situation. NATO also issued instructions to reinforce KFOR with additional SFOR troops from Bosnia, including a UK company of 1st Royal Gurkha Rifles, a US company and a company from the Italian Multinational Support Unit (Carabineri).
	In the early hours of Thursday 18 March, NATO called upon the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) Ready Battalion. The ready battalion role is one that the UK has responsibility for during the first six months of 2004. This means that, as part of our overall commitment to the Balkans, the UK provides NATO with a battalion that could, in circumstances such as these, be rapidly deployed into either Bosnia or Kosovo. The lead elements of the ORF, totalling approximately 150 men and 12 Land Rovers, departed from RAF Brize Norton on Thursday afternoon and landed in Kosovo late that evening. The vast majority of the ORF battalion of around 660 men has now deployed. 1st Battalion The Royal Gloucestershire Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment are providing the core of the battalion group. There are now around 1,100 UK Armed Forces personnel deployed in Kosovo.
	The purpose of this deployment is to restore calm to the province and prevent unrest spreading to areas outside Kosovo—the type of task for which the Operational Reserve was designed. UK troops will conduct routine patrolling, the guarding of sites (such as the UN mission) and public order duties, as tasked by Commander KFOR.
	Further to the deployment of the UK battalion, NATO has requested that an element of the NATO Strategic Reserve Force, provided by a French battalion, also be deployed to Kosovo. NATO has also requested the deployment of the three standby battalions that make up the full Operational Reserve Force. These battalions are provided by the US, Germany and Italy. The German battalion has been deployed to Skopje, Macedonia, in the first instance.
	It is for NATO to determine how long reserves will be required, but in terms of an initial estimate, and with the situation changing, we believe a sensible course of action is to initially plan for a deployment period of approximately 30 days.

Service Museums

Lord Bach: My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Ivor Caplin) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
	The business process review of the six principal Service museums has been completed. The review confirmed the value of the museums and recommended their continued support by the MoD. The review also recommended a number of measures to improve communication between the museums and their relevant sponsor branch, to provide assurance of value for money and to facilitate longer-term planning. These will be taken forward by the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel) in conjunction with the three Service sponsor branches.